Disposable urinal bag

ABSTRACT

A disposable urinal bag involves a mouth portion of semirigid water disintegratable material, to which is attached a limp sack of thin plastic. Slits in the mouth portion enable convenient sealing of the bag following use, until disposal thereof.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Kenneth A. Jacuzzi Lafayette;

Roy A. Jacuzzi, Oakland, both of, Calif. [2]] Appl. No. 796,393

[22] Filed Feb. 4, 1969 [4S] Patented Aug. 10, 1971 [73] Assignee Jeeuni Research, Inc.

[54] DISPOSABLE URINAL BAG SCIainuJDnwing Figs.

[52] U.S.CI 4/110 [51] Int. E03d 13/00 [50] lieklotseareli 4/110, 134,

142,1l1,112;128/295,296, 283, 287, 285; ISO/1,05; 229/53; 222/507, 183

[56] Relerenees C itetl UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,875,451 3/1959 Stegeman 4/110 3,001,565 9/1961 Beach 150/1 3,095,578 7/1963 Stanford 4/110 3,200,415 8/1965 Breece, Jr 41110 3,309,008 3/1967 Huck 4/110 X 3,329,973 7/1967 Bobbe 4/110 3,403,410 10/1968 Benzel et a1. 4/1 10 3,432,863 3/1969 Schwartz 4/1 10 3,432,865 3/1969 Schwartz 4/110 3,475,767 11/1969 Friesen et a1. 41110 3,495,278 2/1970 Peters 4/110 X Primary Examiner1'1enry K. Artis Attorney-Edward Brosler ABSTRACT: A disposable urinal bag involves a mouth portion of semirigid water disintegratable material, to which is attached a limp sack of thin plastic. Slits in the mouth portion enable convenient sealing of the bag following use, until disposal thereof.

Patented Aug. 10, 1971 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

l N\ FNTORS KENNETH A. JACUZZI ROY A. JACUZZI ATTORNEY DISPOSABLE URINAL BAG Our invention relates to leakproof disposable bags in general and more particularly to one capable of use as a disposable urinal bag.

Individuals confined to wheelchairs and who are incapable of leaving the chair to utilize bathroom facilities, must therefore seek the help of others in answering the calls of nature. The same applies to patients confined to bed and who are incapable of leaving the bed for such purposesv The present invention seeks to reduce this problem by providing a leakproof bag capable of being utilized as a disposable urinal bag which may be conveniently handled by the individual himself and which may be effectively sealed until disposed of by flushing it down the drain.

Among the objects of our invention are:

I. To provide a novel and improved bag employable as a disposable urinal bag and for other purposes where a disposable leakproof bag may be desired;

2. To provide a novel and improved urinal bag capable of being safely flushed down a conventional toilet drain;

37 To provide a novel and improved disposable urinal bag capable of being sealed following use, to prevent leakage of contents until the bag and its contents are disposed of;

4. To provide a novel and improved disposable urinal bag which lends itself to being conveniently packaged for marketmg;

5. To provide a novel and improved disposable urinal bag adapted for use by persons of either sex; and

6. To provide a novel and improved disposable urinal bag which permits of packaging the same in a variety of ways.

Additional objects of our invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein,

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a bag embodying the features of the present invention, designed for use as a disposable urinal bag, and depicting the same in its open condition for use,

FIG. 2 is a view depicting the bag in its collapsed condition just prior to being opened for use,

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken in the plane 3-3 of FIG. I, and

FIG. 4 is a view depicting the manner of sealing the bag to prepare for disposal after use.

Referring to the drawings for details of our invention in its preferred form, the same involves a composite bag including a semirigid mouth portion I, preferably tapered, and to which is attached a limp sack 3. The mouth portion may be ribbed to enhance its stiffness The mouth portion, in its dry state, is of relatively stiff, water-softenable material, such as heavy paper or lightweight cardboard, to which is affixed the limp sack.

The sack, for urinal purposes, must be of water-impermeable material, such as plastic film, of which thin polyethylene is an example, which will cause the sack to hang limp when empty, and enable the same to be folded, creased or rolled for packaging purposes, or twisted for sealing until disposed of, all as will be more fully described herein.

To avoid possible softening of the material of the mouth portion from contact by liquid during use, the mouth portion may be coated or covered with plastic over its inner surface, leaving the outer surface exposable to contact with and absorption of water when the bag is ultimately disposed of. In lieu of a plastic coating, we can extend the sack sufficiently into the mouth portion to not only cover the entire inner sur' face thereof, but with sufficient overhang 7 to permit folding the overhang portion of the sack over the free edge of the mouth portion and securing the folded over portion by any suitable means such as gluing, stapling...etc. This manner of installing and securing the sack, not only completely protects the inner side of the mouth portion from possible contact with liquid, but provides secure anchorage of the sack against coming loose and separating itself from the mouth portion under the weight of its liquid contents when put to use.

To conveniently satisfy the requirements of both sexes, the mouth portion is deformed or collapsed into contiguous planes, forming two layers ll, 13, and with a front crease 1S and rear crease 17. The two contiguous layers are arcuately formed at their free edges, and by pressing simultaneously against the front and rear creases, the mouth portion may be opened for use, and by blowing into it, the sack itself may be expanded.

A fold-out die-cut handle 19 formed with a complementary half handle 2] to either side of the front crease, in much the same manner as in a paper cup, will provide convenient means for holding the bag while in use.

Upon completion of its use, it would be highly desirable to be able to seal the bag until disposal thereof may be effected. The present invention contemplates a very simple and effective manner of accomplishing this desirable result.

Toward this end, the mouth portion of the bag is provided with oppositely disposed aligned slits 25, 27 whereby when the mouth portion is collapsed, the resulting contiguous layers and aligned slits may be made to function as a single layer with a single slit. These slits are preferably in the form of scored lines to permit tearing in anticipation of utilizing the slits.

in utilizing this construction to seal the bag following its use, the mouth portion is collapsed and the bag is then twisted above the liquid level therein to seal off the bag at this point, following which, the mouth portion of the bag is turned down to snag the twisted portion of the sack in the aligned slits. To more effectively secure the turned mouth portion against accidental release thereafter, the slits are preferably at a substantial angle to the upper edge of the mouth portionv It will be apparent that once the bag is thus sealed, it can be stored and safely handled until ready for disposal. Upon disposal, the outer side of the mouth portion being exposed to contact with water, will sohen up and tend to disintegrate and leave the sack free to open and permit release of its contents and collapse, to thereby greatly facilitate flow of the bag residue through the drain system.

The urinal bag described above may also be advantageously employed in the taking of urine samples for examination and testing. In such case, the sample may be identified in writing on the outer surface of the mouth portion and the handle may be utilized as a means for suspending a sample as from a hook, until such time as the laboratory assistant may reach it for analysis. For purposes of identification, appropriate instructions may be printed on such outer surface.

While the bag has been described primarily from the view point of its application as a urinal bag, it obviously may have uses for other and nonrelated purpose, some of which may not call for a water-softenable material in the formation of the mouth portion.

The bag as thus described may be economically fabricated and packaged for the market.

When the mouth portion is tapered, the bags may be nested and dispensed individually from a wall mounted glass or plastic tube in much the same manner as paper cups.

Or the bags may be individually packaged by folding the sack into the mouth portion prior to collapsing the mouth portion and inserting the same into a plastic envelope.

As an alternative to the latter, the mouth portion may be collapsed first and the sack then wrapped about it prior to inserting the same in an envelope.

From the foregoing description of our invention in its preferred form, it will become apparent that the same fulfills all the objects attributed thereto, and while we have illustrated and described the same in its preferred form and in considerable detail, the invention is subject to alteration and modification from the preferred form illustrated and described without departing from the underlying principles involved, and we accordingly do not desire to be limited in our protection to the specific details so illustrated and described, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A bag assembly comprising a mouth portion, a limp sack depending from said mouth portion and adapted to hold liquid, said sack being capable of being twisted in the region above prevailing liquid contents therein, to seal such contents against leakage via said mouth portion, and means included with said mouth portion and adapted to snag said sack above such liquid contents to enable carrying and storing said sack in a releasable sealed condition until ready to dispose of such contents,

2. A disposable bag adapted for urinal purposes, comprising, a semirigid mouth portion of a size to permit use by individuals of either sex, and deformable as to contour to meet body requirements of both sexes when in use as a urinal, and a limp sack depending from said mouth portion, said sack being of liquid impenneable material, said mouth portion having oppositely disposed edge slits and being collapsible into contiguous planes with sad edge slits in alignment, to enable said collapsed mouth portion and aligned slits to function as a single edge slit for use in closing said bag.

3. A bag assembly comprising a mouth portion, a limp sack depending from said mouth portion and adapted to hold liquid, said sack being capable of being twisted in the region above prevailing liquid contents therein, to seal such contents against leakage via said mouth portion, and means for locking said sack in such twisted condition to maintain such sealed condition until ready to dispose of such contents, said locking means including a slit in an upper edge of said mouth portion, whereby, said mouth portion may be turned down to snag the twisted portion of said sack in said slit 

1. A bag assembly comprising a mouth portion, a limp sack depending from said mouth portion and adapted to hold liquid, said sack being capable of being twisted in the region above prevailing liquid contents therein, to seal such contents against leakage via said mouth portion, and means included with said mouth portion and adapted to snag said sack above such liquid contents to enable carrying and storing said sack in a releasable sealed condition until ready to dispose of such contents.
 2. A disposable bag adapted for urinal purposes, comprising, a semirigid mouth portion of a size to permit use by individuals of either sex, and deformable as to contour to meet body requirements of both sexes when in use as a urinal, and a limp sack depending from said mouth portion, said sack being of liquid impermeable material, said mouth portion having oppositely disposed edge slits and being collapsible into contiguous planes with sad edge slits in alignment, to enable said collapsed mouth portion and aligned slits to function as a single edge slit for use in closing said bag.
 3. A bag assembly comprising a mouth portion, a limp sack depending from said mouth portion and adapted to hold liquid, said sack being capable of being twisted in the region above prevailing liquid contents therein, to seal such contents against leakage via said mouth portion, and means for locking said sack in such twisted condition to maintain such sealed condition until ready to dispose of such contents, said locking means including a slit in an upper edge of said mouth portion, whereby, said mouth portion may be turned down to snag the twisted portion of said sack in said slit. 